Written Answers Wednesday 6 July 2005

Scottish Executive

Antisocial Behaviour

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it possesses on the age profiles of those served with antisocial behaviour orders.

Hugh Henry: The most recent information that we have on antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) is for 2003-04. This shows that the largest number of ASBOs were against those over 25 years of age. This age group accounted for 63% of ASBO applications and 59% of ASBOs granted. People aged 16 to 18 years account for 13% of applications and 16% of ASBOs granted. However, as a proportion of the population, ASBO applications and orders granted are highest within the 16 to 18-year-old age band.

  Further information is given in section 6 of Use of Antisocial Behaviour Orders in Scotland published on the Scottish Executive website in April 2005. Copies are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 36131).

Civil Partnership Act 2004

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that civil partners brought together under the Civil Partnership Act 2004 ought to have their status recognised in other EU member states for the purposes of rules on (a) ownership of property, (b) inheritance, (c) actions in delict, (d) parental responsibility, (e) financial provision for children, (f) adoption, (g) access to public housing, (h) tenancies, (i) fatal accident claims by one partner in the event of the death of the other, (j) criminal evidence and (k) taxation and, if so, what action it will take in order to achieve this.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that civil partners brought together under the Civil Partnership Act 2004 might suffer any disadvantages on moving to another EU member state where their status is not recognised.

Hugh Henry: On implementation from 5 December, the Civil Partnership Act 2004 will allow same-sex couples to register their partnerships. Registration will bring a package of responsibilities and rights similar to those which opposite-sex couples acquire through marriage.

  The same-sex registered partnerships of certain overseas jurisdictions will be treated as civil partnerships throughout the UK. These are listed in schedule 20 of the act and are referred to as "specified relationships". In future, this list can be added to by order as other countries establish similar relationships. Equally, it is anticipated that these overseas jurisdictions will recognise civil partnerships registered in the UK.

  At present, some EU member states have equivalent "specified relationships" while others do not. It is not for the Scottish Executive to comment on the policies of other EU member states.

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were arrested for the (a) supply and (b) possession with intent to supply of (i) heroin, (ii) crack cocaine, (iii) all class A drugs and (iv) all class B drugs excluding cannabis prior to reclassification in each calendar year since 2001, broken down by (1) police force and (2) age of individual arrested.

Cathy Jamieson: Statistics on arrests are not available. The available statistics on persons with a charge proved for drug supply offences is given in the table. Supply and possession with intent to supply are not separately identifiable in the statistics held centrally, nor is information available to give a breakdown on type of drug by offence and age of offender.

  Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts for Supply of Drugs Offences1 by Police Force Area and Age of Offender, 2001-03.

  

 Police Force
Under 21
21 and over
Total


2001
2002
20032
2001
2002
20032
2001
2002
20032


Central 
15
21
12
84
67
104
99
88
116


Dumfries and Galloway
10
6
9
24
40
36
34
46
45


Fife 
9
8
3
59
67
61
68
75
64


Grampian 
20
23
17
95
106
134
115
129
151


Lothian and Borders 
19
24
26
160
129
164
179
153
190


Northern 
18
8
12
50
50
65
68
58
77


Strathclyde 
71
80
83
604
546
718
675
626
801


Tayside 
12
13
12
85
113
109
97
126
121


Scotland
174
183
174
1,161
1,118
1,391
1,335
1,301
1,565



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Includes estimated data.

Education

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the destinations of pupils who leave school before 16.

Peter Peacock: Destinations of school leavers of all ages are monitored by Careers Scotland. Summary data is provided by them to the Scottish Executive on an annual basis, although results are not available by pupil age. The latest published data is available via the following link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00380-00.asp .

Education

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to consult school pupils with regard to the curriculum.

Peter Peacock: Pupils along with parents, teachers, employers and many others were consulted on the state of school education during the National Debate in Education in 2002. The responses to this debate formed the basis for the review of the curriculum three to 18.

  As part of A Curriculum for Excellence, we are developing a communications and engagement strategy to ensure that everyone with an interest in the review is able to contribute. The programme board is taking steps to engage young people in this work.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17176 by Cathy Jamieson on 17 June 2005, what the average sentence was for criminals convicted of accessing, distributing and possessing child pornography in each of the last six years, broken down by police force area.

Cathy Jamieson: Cases involving the accessing, distribution and possession of child pornography are prosecuted under sections 52 and 52A of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. However, the data held centrally does not distinguish between cases involving pornography downloaded from the internet and those where it was obtained by other means. The available information on sentences imposed in all convictions under sections 52 and 52A of the 1982 act is given in the following table.

  Average sentences for persons with a charge proved in Scottish courts for an offence1 under sections 52 or 52A of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, by police force area, 1998–2003.

  Number of Convictions by Main Result of Proceedings and Police Force Area

  

 
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
20032


All Convictions
9
9
15
16
26
68


Central 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Total
-
-
-
-
*
*


Custody 
-
-
-
-
*
-


Community sentence
-
-
-
-
-
*


Monetary 
-
-
-
-
*
-


Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 
 
 


Total
-
-
*
-
-
-


Custody 
-
-
*
-
-
-


Fife 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Total
-
*
-
*
-
*


Custody 
-
*
-
-
-
*


Community sentence
-
-
-
*
-
*


Monetary 
-
-
-
-
-
*


Grampian 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Total
-
*
*
*
*
6


Community sentence
-
*
*
-
*
*


Monetary 
-
-
*
*
*
*


Other 
-
-
-
-
-
*


Lothian and Borders 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Total
*
*
6
6
*
17


Custody 
*
-
*
*
*
9


Community sentence
-
-
*
-
-
*


Monetary 
*
*
*
*
*
*


Other 
-
*
*
-
-
-


Northern 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Total
-
-
*
*
*
11


Custody 
-
-
-
*
-
*


Community sentence
-
-
-
*
-
9


Monetary 
-
-
*
*
*
*


Strathclyde 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Total
*
*
*
*
12
18


Custody 
-
-
-
*
*
10


Community sentence
-
*
*
*
8
7


Monetary 
*
*
*
-
-
*


Other 
*
-
-
-
-
-


Tayside 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Total
*
-
*
*
*
9


Custody 
-
-
*
*
*
-


Community sentence
*
-
*
-
*
7


Monetary 
-
-
-
-
-
*


Average custodial sentence (Days)
 
 
 
 
 
 


Central 
-
-
-
-
123
-


Dumfries and Galloway
-
-
91
-
-
-


Fife 
-
365
-
-
-
274


Lothian and Borders 
274
-
456
312
325
274


Northern 
-
-
-
91
-
731


Strathclyde 
-
-
-
396
494
465


Tayside 
-
-
91
182
91
-


Scotland
274
365
213
301
352
387


Average fine (£)
 
 
 
 
 
 


Central 
-
-
-
-
200
-


Fife 
-
-
-
-
-
3,000


Grampian 
-
-
400
500
2,725
2,500


Lothian and Borders 
800
625
1,000
500
3,000
1,667


Northern 
-
-
30
1,250
1,000
1,250


Strathclyde 
823
308
88
-
-
250


Tayside 
-
-
-
-
-
650


Scotland
814
435
434
708
1,930
1,355



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Includes estimated data.

  3. The following symbols are used in this table, * = five or less, - = nil.

NHS Equipment

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17065 by Mr Andy Kerr on 13 June 2005, on how many days per week each DEXA scanner listed is utilised.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held centrally.

NHS Staff

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital workers have been disciplined for alcohol and drug-related incidents since 1997, broken down by (a) profession and (b) gender.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally.

NHS Staff

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurse consultants are employed in the NHS, broken down by (a) board area and (b) speciality.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on the number of Nurse Consultants in Scotland by NHS board and specialty is collected as part of the Scottish Executive’s commitment to treble the number of nurse consultant posts in Scotland. Latest available information is at June 2005.

  Due to the amount of detail required to answer this particular question, the response will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 36927).

NHS Staff

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) doctors, (b) nurses, (c) consultants and (d) auxiliary staff have been victims of violence in each of the last 10 years, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information asked for is not collected in the requested format. The data available on violence is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics: www.isdscotland.org/workforce .

  Section A gives details of the Occupational Health and Safety Minimum Dataset in NHS Scotland. In particular, table A7 shows the number of occupational injuries by staff group and type of organisation. Latest available figures are at 31 March 2004.

NHS Staff

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the rate of sickness absence for (a) medical staff, (b) non-medical clinical staff and (c) all other staff has been in the NHS in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information asked for is not collected centrally in the form requested. The information available on sickness absence is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, www.isdscotland.org/workforce .

NHS Waiting Times

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will reply to my letter of 18 May 2005 on parliamentary questions S2W-15081 and S2W-15082.

Mr Andy Kerr: I wrote to the member on 23 June, providing a full response to his letter.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of (a) male and (b) female prisoners it estimates have (i) alcohol and (ii) drug abuse problems.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15576 on 14 April 2005, and the answer given to question S2W-16631 on 31 May 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Prisoner Escorts

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the prisoner escort record form used by police forces, prisons and Reliance was last reviewed and what changes were made as a result.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  
The contract requires that the Prisoner Escort Review (PER) form be reviewed annually. The first review is currently being undertaken. The group is chaired by Reliance Custodial Services and has representatives from each of the partner agencies.

Special Educational Needs

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many records of needs are currently at appeal to the Scottish ministers against (a) Part IIIB, summary of impairments, (b) Part IV, statement of special educational needs, (c) a decision to open or continue a record and (d) a decision to close or not to open a record following a review.

Peter Peacock: Scottish ministers currently have thirteen Record of Needs Appeals for consideration. Five of those are against Part IIIB, summary of impairments giving rise to special educational needs, and Part IV, statement of special educational needs. There are no appeals against a decision to open or continue a record and eight appeals against a decision to discontinue or not to open a record following a review.

Special Educational Needs

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many appeals under Part VI of the record of needs are currently with local authority education appeal committees awaiting a placing request refusal hearing date.

Peter Peacock: The information requested is not held centrally.

Special Educational Needs

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many placing request refusals, having been dealt with by local authority education appeal committees, have had a summary application lodged with the sheriff court and are awaiting a court hearing date.

Peter Peacock: We do not have the information requested for the current year. From 1 August 2003 to 31 July 2004, over thirty thousand placing requests were made. In the same period, four appeals were made to the sheriff court by parents or pupils whose placing request had been refused by the local authority and whose appeal to the Education Appeal Committee had been rejected. This information is published on the Executive’s website at www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00407-00.asp .